In her address to the Conservative party conference today, Miller praised the charity’s Carousel Children’s Centre in Braintree, Essex, citing it as an example of good practice, particularly for its work with older children, parents and grandparents as well as its partnerships with health visitors and local community organisations.

Anne Longfield OBE, Chief Executive of 4Children, said: “Maria Miller’s recognition of our approach to bringing together services for children from 0-19 years is a real boost to our efforts to highlight the potential Sure Start has to provide vital support to all families with children.”

“Sure Start is making a real difference to families up and down the country and this investment desperately needs to continue. 4Children welcomes the commitment to Sure Start that has been given this week at the Conservative conference, but we will continue to push all political parties to give further details about the level and nature of funding they would make available to Children’s Centres in the next Parliament.

To read a feature on Carousel Children’s Centre in The Guardian, click here.

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Editors’ notes

To view a webcast of the conference session including Maria Miller’s speech, follow the links from clicking here.

For further information or to arrange an interview with a 4Children spokesperson, please contact Julie Evans on 0207 522 6928 / 0791 787 0641 or email Julie.Evans@4Children.org.uk.

4Children is the national children’s charity which develops, influences and shapes national policy on all aspects of children, young people and families’ lives and works with a wide range of partners to deliver real support for children and families in their community.

4Children has spearheaded a joined up, integrated approach to children’s services which puts the needs of the most vulnerable families at the centre. It is the one of the largest not for profit children’s centre providers in the country and also runs and supports out of school programmes and the new next generation ‘myplace’ youth hubs.

The organisation has recently launched the high profile Family Commission chaired by Esther Rantzen. This 18 month inquiry into families in the UK today will include one of the largest consultations with families ever undertaken and will report in autumn 2010. For more information visit www.thefamilycommission.org.uk.

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